1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hand tools and, more particularly, to an ergonomically designed hand tool that is easier to use and helps avoid injuries to the user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hand tools, such as lawn and yard rakes, are used for gathering grass, leaves, and other light yard debris. Standard yard rakes have an elongated, straight, and rigid handle attached to a rake head. The handle is typically made of strong but lightweight materials such as wood, aluminum, light gauge steel, or hard plastic. The rake head is typically made of lightweight and resilient material, such as bamboo, plastic, or thin metal strips. Yard rakes are used sporadically, with most use coming during the spring and fall seasons for obvious reasons. Often, persons not accustomed to doing manual labor use yard rakes. Standard yard rakes with straight handles and semi-resilient rake heads require a great deal of upper body strength to use. Over the years, attempts have been made to improve upon the standard rake design having a straight handle and semi-resilient rake head.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,423,772 to Haase teaches a rake having spring-biased tines in the rake head that may be deflected up to 90xc2x0. U.S. Pat. No. 2,119,165 to Hxc3x6rnstein teaches a rake with a spring-biased rake head. U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,908 to Brock, Jr. teaches a flexible rake having a rake head with a plurality of flexible tines that extend forward from a rigid, laterally-extending support panel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,780 to Phillips teaches a rake having an xe2x80x9cS-shapedxe2x80x9d angled handle allowing a user to rake forward with a forward sweeping motion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,961 to Kegley teaches a hand tool having a rake face and handle, with the handle including a pair of longitudinal gripping members having parallel axes and a connection member connecting the gripping members. U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,413 and Re. 35,604, both to McDonough, Jr., teach rakes having three pivotally mounted rake heads. The rake heads include springs that allow the rake heads to flex relative to the longitudinal axis of the rake handle, but also generally maintain a substantially parallel relationship between the three rake heads. U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,711 to Costa teaches a lawn rake having a spring pivoting rake head. The lawn rake disclosed by Costa incorporates a spring element that permits the rake head to flex relative to the longitudinal axis of the rake handle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,563 to Dutcher teaches a rake having a rake head inclined at a 45xc2x0 angle with the rake handle. The rake disclosed by Dutcher further includes a pivotable support stand that is used to support the rake in an upright position when not in use. U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,924 to Babineau teaches a rake having a rake head and a handle formed with upper and lower offset handgrips.
A specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved lawn and yard rake that requires less physical strength to use and reduces the potential of injury to the user. It is a general object of the present invention to provide means for improving the handle of a hand tool that will allow the handle to flex and bend when the user applies force to the hand tool.
The present invention is an ergonomic rake that includes an elongated handle, a rake head, and a flexible member. The elongated handle has a first end and a second end. The rake head has a web portion and a plurality of rake tines extending from the web portion. The flexible member connects the handle and the rake head. The flexible member comprises an elongated member having a first end fixedly attached to the rake head and a second end fixedly attached to the second end of the handle. The elongated member defines a plurality of notches. The elongated member is made of a resiliently deformable material. The notches and the resiliently deformable material comprising the elongated member permit the flexible member connected to the handle and rake head to flex when downward pressure is applied to the handle by a user.
The notches may alternately face opposite directions along the length of the elongated member. The notches may be semicircular or V-shaped.
The flexible member may be between about 10% and 30% of the length of the handle.
The first end of the elongated member may be fixedly attached to the web portion of the rake head by mechanical fasteners. The second end of the elongated member may be fixedly attached to the second end of the handle with mechanical fasteners. Alternatively, the elongated member may be attached to the web portion of the rake head by a threaded connection, and the second end of the elongated member may be fixedly attached to the second end of the handle by a threaded connection.
The elongated member may be made of plastic.
The present invention is further directed to an ergonomic broom that includes an elongated handle, a broom head, and a flexible member. The elongated handle has a first end and a second end. The broom head has an attachment portion and a bristle portion. The flexible member connects the handle and the broom head. The flexible member comprises an elongated member having a first end fixedly attached to the attachment portion of the broom head, and a second end fixedly attached to the second end of the handle. The elongated member defines a plurality of notches. The elongated member is made of a resiliently deformable material. The notches and the resiliently deformable material comprising the elongated member permit the flexible member connected to the handle and broom head to flex when downward pressure is applied to the handle by a user.
Further, the present invention is directed to a flexible member for use with a hand tool having a working implement and a handle. The flexible member is comprised of an elongated member having a first end configured for attachment to the working implement and a second end configured for attachment to the handle. The elongated member defines a plurality of notches. The elongated member is made of a resiliently deformable material. The notches may be formed to alternately face opposite directions along the length of the elongated member.
The notches may be semicircular shaped or V-shaped.
The elongated member may be made of plastic.
The first end of the elongated member may be configured for threaded attachment to the working implement, and the second end of the elongated member may be configured for threaded attachment to the handle. Alternatively, the first end of the elongated member may be configured for attachment to the working implement with mechanical fasteners, and the second end of the elongated member may be configured for attachment to the handle with mechanical fasteners.
The elongated member may be solid in cross section or hollow in cross section. Additionally, the elongated member may be a solid rod made of plastic having between about three and five semicircular-shaped notches formed therein.
Further details and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description read in conjunction with the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout.